Between meetings
If you have a couple of hours…
Emporium Melbourne (emporiummelbourne.com. au) bolsters the city’s claim as the nation’s fashion capital. This chic retail precinct houses independent Australian labels such as Camilla and Marc (camillaandmarc.com) and Gorman (gormanshop.com. au), plus international stars including Michael Kors (michaelkors.com).
If you have half a day…
Take a stroll north of the CBD through the Carlton Gardens, past the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building, to the angular modern edifice of the Melbourne Museum (museumsvictoria.com.au). Explore the city’s history at the interactive Melbourne Story exhibition, where you have the chance to ride in a restored Luna Park roller-coaster carriage, step inside re-created slum cottages from the 1890s and see famous Depression-era racehorse Phar Lap on display.
If you have a day…
Just over an hour from the CBD, the Mornington Peninsula is the playground of the city’s elite, who visit its stunning beaches, restaurants and wineries. Sample an array of award-winning wines at cellar doors including Trofeo Estate (trofeoestate.com) and Port Phillip Estate (portphillipestate.com.au) or settle in for a leisurely lunch at Pt Leo Estate’s acclaimed restaurant, Laura (ptleoestate. com.au), before a postprandial walk around the property’s eight-hectare Sculpture Park overlooking the Western Port shore. Another intriguing kid on the block is the designdriven Jackalope Hotel (jackalopehotels.com), where the Rare Hare bistro’s woodfired oven coaxes a kind of smoky greatness from all manner of meat and veg.
If you have a weekend…
Winding 243 kilometres from Torquay to Allansford near Warrnambool, the Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s top scenic drives. Stop off at natural wonders such as the famed Bells Beach surf break and the Twelve Apostles, along with coastal towns like Lorne, Wye River and Apollo Bay, where café culture comes with a dose of relaxed seaside charm. Fancy something even more special? From Lorne, travel just 40 kilometres into the beautiful Otways hinterland for a meal at chef and owner Dan Hunter’s highly acclaimed locavore fine-diner Brae (brae restaurant.com), in a bucolic farmhouse setting. The stunning boutique accommodation, with in-room cocktail-making sets, turntables and vinyl, ought to seal the deal.